NFL NEWS AND RUMORS

USA Today "If you’ve ever watched an NFL broadcast and thought the booth should feature more talking, self-references and confusion about overtime rules, the news that Donovan McNabb will call some games for Fox this fall will greatly please you. For everyone else, get your mute button ready. It’s not..." August 07

Cleveland Plain Dealer "The Browns are bracing themselves for at least an eight-game suspension for receiver Josh Gordon, league sources told cleveland.com. Gordon's appeal hearing wrapped up Monday afternoon in New York City, and the decision on his indefinite ban could take anywhere from one to three weeks, a source..." August 06

ESPN.com "Brian Hoyer will start the Cleveland Browns' preseason opener on Saturday in Detroit. "It was [Hoyer's] job," coach Mike Pettine said Wednesday. "He was the 'one' coming into it. We did want to mix the groups up, as we did. But he's done nothing to have that taken away from him. So he'll be out..." August 06

CBSSports.com "When the news broke Monday that the Bengals had rewarded quarterback Andy Dalton with a six-year, $115 million deal, the Internet went into meltdown mode (see the comments here, for example). Fans couldn't imagine why anyone would give Dalton, who is 30-18 as a starter but 0-3 in the postseason,..." August 06

Newark Star-Ledger "During a track practice at Virginia Tech, coach Charles Foster remembered seeing David Wilson veer off from the group to begin sizing up the wooden rafters that stretch from the top of the bleachers all the way to the ceiling of the arena. The curiosity turned to disbelief as Foster watched the..." August 06

ESPN.com "Two weeks into training camp, presumed New York Jets backup Michael Vick is keeping the pressure on Geno Smith, whom he expects to develop into one of the NFL's top young quarterbacks. "He's going to be great," Vick said Tuesday after practice. "He's going to be 10 times better than where he..." August 06

Delaware Online "Eagles cornerback Cary Williams said he wasn't backing down from his comments last week when he called the Patriots "cheaters" and said that the three days of joint practices between the two teams next week are basically a waste of time. Williams may or may not have been disciplined by Eagles..." August 06

CBSSports.com "It wasn't surprising when the Vikings chose not to pick up the fifth-year option on quarterback Christian Ponder's rookie contract. And it was even less surprising when the team traded into the first round to take Teddy Bridgewater. Now nearly two weeks into training camp, and days after..." August 06

ESPN.com "Former six-time Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson is currently in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes. But according to Johnson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, the 36-year old receiver is still hopeful for one more chance to return to the NFL. Johnson was released in training camp by..." August 06

NFL.com "The Jacksonville Jaguars are adding much-needed depth at wide receiver. The team is signing former New York Giants wideout Ramses Barden, per his Instagram page. Outside of a 10-catch, 138-yard performance against the Panthers on national television two years ago, Barden has been a flop..." August 06

NFL.com "He is a former Pro Bowler The New Orleans Saints announced Wednesday that they have signed fullback Greg Jones to a one-year contract. The announcement was made by Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis. Jones, 6 feet 1, 251 pounds, is a 10-year NFL veteran who was..." August 06

CBSSports.com "So here's what we know: Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer will start Saturday's preseason game against the Lions. But beyond that, who knows. Rookie first-rounder Johnny Manziel took first-team reps earlier this week but coach Mike Pettine warned not to read too much into it; having both..." August 06

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel "The cast for NBC's weight-loss reality show 'The Biggest Loser' has been released, and it includes three former pro athletes, including ex-Miami Dolphins quarterback Scott Mitchell. Mitchell became a standout performer in the 1993 season after Dan Marino was felled by a ruptured Achilles'..." August 06

Pro Football Talk "Tight end Jake Ballard, who started 13 regular-season games and three postseason games for the 2011 Giants, has retired from the NFL. Ballard tore an ACL during New York’s Super Bowl XLVI win over the Patriots. “Yesterday I made the difficult decision to retire from the game of football,”..." August 06

Pro Football Talk "Those stalwarts of law enforcement in Baltimore have found the guy who urinated on Art Modell’s grave, not that he made it that hard for them. According to Colin Campbell of the Baltimore Sun, 61-year-old Paul Serbu of Franklin, Ohio has been charged with disorderly conduct in a cemetery." August 06

The Advertiser "New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was seen throwing Tuesday during the team's afternoon walk-through for the first time since injuring his oblique on Friday. Sean Payton considers Brees' injury, which kept him out of Saturday's Black and Gold Scrimmage, minor and says he's taking it..." August 06

Pro Football Talk "Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is most of the way back, but he is still feeling the effects of the back injury that cut short his 2013 season in one respect: His deep passes aren’t quite as good as they used to be. That’s the word from Cowboys quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, who said Romo has..." August 06

Tampa Bay Times "The Bucs agreed to a $3-million injury settlement with OG Carl Nicks, according to salary cap information filed with the league. It officially ends the disappointing chapter with Nicks, who signed a 5-year, $47.5-million contract as a Saints free agent in 2012 but appeared in only nine games in..." August 06

Washington Post "Chris Cooley, in his role as co-host of ESPN 980′s “The Drive,” was out at Redskins training camp this afternoon, and he had a chance to interview the owner of the team, Mr. Daniel Snyder himself. After some talk about the team, Cooley got down to business, asking Snyder for his thoughts on the..." August 06

Toronto Sun "The Bon Jovi/Toronto group seeking to buy the Buffalo Bills has been allowed a first-bid do-over. In one of a bundle of surprising new developments in this melodrama, QMI Agency has learned the Toronto trio is expected on Tuesday to resubmit a higher, non-binding initial bid for the Bills --..." August 06

ESPN Chicago "Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett was fined and suspended for conduct detrimental to the team after the veteran was involved in a fight at practice Monday with rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller, general manager Phil Emery announced Tuesday. Emery did not specify the length of the suspension..." August 06